Biodiversity case studies
Rio Tinto Coal Australia has recently developed regional biodiversity action plans for each of the two regions in which it has coal operations; the Bowen Basin in central Queensland and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.
Read more about our biodiversity action plans
Read more about our 2008 results for biodiversity
Protecting the Cobblers Peg
Rio Tinto Coal Australia is entering into a Nature Refuge Agreement with the Queensland Government in a bid to protect an endangered plant species. The small yellow daisy - known as the Belyando Cobblers Peg - was thought to be extinct, but was rediscovered during vegetation surveys in 1996 for the proposed Clermont Mine. The agreement will preserve populations of the species for long term conservation, while new research will help understand what caused its decline and how best to re-establish it. Read more.
Focus on bluegrass
Rio Tinto Coal Australia has worked closely with The North Australian Pastoral Company to manage a pastoral property located above the underground Kestrel Mine. A property management plan has been developed which includes zoning areas for controlled grazing to promote Queensland bluegrass woodland regeneration, expanding riparian protection zones adjacent to creeks and waterways to reduce bank erosion and improve water quality and fencing off dams to prevent cattle access and allow native vegetation to regenerate. Bluegrass is an endangered community under federal legislation and through this partnership we are contributing to increasing the area of Queensland bluegrass in the vicinity of our operations. Read more.
Rhondda helps safeguard fauna
Land clearing for urban development south west of Newcastle has been encroaching on the habitats of several types of small and colourful flowering plants, along with some animal species. These species have been discovered at Coal & Allied's Northern Rhondda Colliery site, a former mine site, along with a wetland and swamp forest habitat that contains endangered ecological communities. The conservation of key areas of high biodiversity value at this site is helping safeguard fauna such as the Powerful Owl, the Squirrel Glider, and plant species like the Black-eyed Susan and Small-flower Grevillea. Read more.
Koala research still going strong
Australia's longest running study on a koala population continues in the Bowen Basin. Rio Tinto Coal Australia has supported the Koala Venture partnership with The University of Queensland for more than 20 years. The partnership has delivered vital knowledge of koala habitat and diet, which has been incorporated into the operations and rehabilitation work at Blair Athol Mine. The research has since been expanded to include the new Clermont Mine. Read more.
Watching our birds
Birdwatching is one way to view the biodiversity around us, and both Kestrel Mine and Bengalla have worked with local birdwatching groups, Birds Capricornia and Hunter Bird Observers Club respectively, to conduct bird surveys which raise awareness of the broad range of bird life and deliver an improved understanding of birds in the region. Both sites recently held Birdwatch events with their local communities, and the results collated will feature in an international report on bird species, which is being compiled by Birdlife International for Rio Tinto. This report will include the results of bird watch events conducted at 24 Rio Tinto operations, in 11 countries around the world. Read more.
Restoration and rehabilitation at MTW
Turning degraded land into woodland is the aim of a project at Mount Thorley Warkworth. The Hunter Valley mine site is reintroducing local plant species to hundreds of hectares of land which over the years has been cleared and had animals grazing on it. The land is home to the Warkworth Sands Woodland - a diverse ecological community featuring unique sand features and with some 48 flora species found in the area. Read more.